Inversions
All triads contain three different notes. These notes can be duplicated and/or played in a different shape. When the lowest note in each of these three chords is the root note, the chord is said to be in root position. When the third (3) is the lowest note of the chord shape, the chord is said to be in first inversion. When the fifth (5) is the lowest note of the chord shape, the chord is said to be in second inversion.
The following example demonstrates the three inversions of a D Major chord, which contains the notes D, F# and A. The fingerings here are mostly derived from a the C form of a D major chord shown in the following diagram.
D
Inversions Along Sets of Strings
Because there are three notes in a major chord, it is possible to find all three inversions of any major chord along any set of three adjacent strings. The following diagram demonstrates this with a C chord on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd strings.
Here are the previous inversions shown as individual chord shapes. Each of them can be used to play any major chord.
Root Position C
1st Inversion C
2nd Inversion C
Root Position C
Here are the shapes for the three inversions of a C chord on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th strings.
Root Position C
1st Inversion C
2nd Inversion C
Here are the shapes for the three inversions of a C chord on the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings.
Root Position C
1st Inversion C
2nd Inversion C
Here are the shapes for the three inversions of a C chord on the 4th, 5th and 6th strings.
Root Position C
1st Inversion C
2nd Inversion C
